Chasing Fate
by AspiringWriterGirl
Summary: Dan, the son of noodle-cart entrepreneur Davis Motomiya, thought he'd found somewhere he could be free from the theoretical ropes of life that tied him down, where he could be himself with his Digimon partner, DemiVeemon... But it seems that the darkness is closing in, and he isn't the only one in this special place- someone, or something is watching him
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except M.J, her brother and various digimon

A/N: Having another go at the Digimon 2.5 adventure, there are so many good ones, I thought why not? The first Digimon 2.5 I did, Digidestined of Digidestined, was a little flawed, so here is the remake, it's had a whole redesign I had to keep the same names.

**Chapter 01**

"So all you need to remember is that whatever you do to one side in an algebraic equation, you must always, always, always do the opposite to the other side." The teacher hammered the desk with his fist on the repetition of always. "You add to one side; you take away from the other. You divide on one side; you must times on the other." The teacher had been repeating these two phrases all lesson, hoping it would get through to the class.

As if it would hopefully sink into Dan Motomiya's brain, but this sixteen year old boy's mind was elsewhere.

It was in the Digital World. Where the digital monsters roamed freely. There, Dan could play with his Digimon partner, DemiVeemon, who was a bright, happy little blue dinosaur like creature.

Dan Motomiya just couldn't wait for the lesson to end, so that he could go to the Digital World. The only problem was, there was still half of a lesson to get through. Sitting at the back of the classroom, he was able to stare out the window, without the teacher knowing. He wished he could be anywhere else but that classroom. If he could be anywhere in the world, it would be in the Digital World. The Digital World was somewhere that he waited to go to after school. He could just sit on the top of the hills, and watch the Chamelemon lie in the sun. Just thinking about it was peaceful to Dan.

He was suddenly brought back to the reality of the classroom when the teacher slammed the door shut and wandered back to the desk. Dan watched as he put his feet up on the desk and leant right back in the chair.

The teacher let out a deep sigh as he indicated the girl who was now standing alone at the front of the classroom. "Okay class, there's a new addition to our class now. Everyone meet Mary-Jane. Mary-Jane's father is a professor at the university. I want everyone to make Mary-Jane feel welcome. Mary-Jane, why don't you take a seat beside Anika. Mary Jane- do you mind if I just call you M.J?" The teacher propped his hands behind his head.

Dan watched his new classmate take a seat beside Anika. M.J had short light brown hair that stuck out at various angles which made her look like she had just been electrocuted, Dan bit his tongue, forcing himself not to say anything mean about it.

The girl M.J was sitting beside was Anika, the daughter of Ken and Yolei Ichijouji, two of Dan's father's childhood friends. Anika and Dan had known each other since they were babies, but they hadn't ever gotten on extremely well. It didn't look like she was getting on too well with M.J either, seeing as Anika completely turned herself away from M.J, it was like she wanted nothing to do with the new girl.

"Would someone hand out the exercise books? Then you can all get on with the questions on the board." The teacher waited for someone to get the text books before picking up the book he had been reading himself.

The text book was thumped down on Dan's desk which made Dan roll his eyes. His finger traced the torn corner before flicking to the correct page where tape had been layered on in a pathetic attempt to hold it all together.

"Exercise four B, questions one, three, five a, five c, five e, all of question eight," Dan mumbled, making a note of the questions the teacher had scrawled out on the board.

When the bell finally rang, Dan leapt up out of his chair and stuffed his books into his school bag and headed towards the door.

"Dan Motomiya," the teacher said sternly, scribbling some corrections onto someone's test.

"I'm sorry sir, but my Mum took an extra shift at the restaurant, and my Dad's on a business trip in Tokyo so I didn't have time to interview a family member for the assignment-" Before Dan could finish spewing out an excuse to explain the absence of his homework, the teacher put his hand up.

Dan instantly fell silent.

"M.J here needs someone to show her around the building, and seeing as you didn't produce a markable piece of homework, it'll be your responsibility to show her around."

Dan's mouth dropped open, he wanted to go to the Digital World and relax on the hills, but from the stern look from his teacher, he realised he didn't have a choice. He turned to see M.J standing outside the classroom with one foot coolly resting against the wall. After closing the door, Dan let out the biggest sigh.

"Okay, let's make this quick. Where do you want to go?" Dan asked abruptly, he couldn't think about anything other than the Digital World.

M.J flinched. "Forget it, I can show myself around," she snapped, storming off down the corridor.

_Result, now that M.J was gone, I can finally go to the Digital World. _

He practically ran back the whole way home, something he wouldn't do again in a hurry.

Tossing his bag on the floor by the kitchen door, Dan kicked off his shoes and slid into his room. It was here that Dan had the gateway to the Digital World. In a high tech laptop that he had gotten for his sixteenth birthday last month.

Dan plucked a Digivice from his pocket and plugged it into a USB port. The laptop started up, and Dan programmed it to take him to the usual hill spot. When the digital gate was open, he took his Digivice back.

"Let's go!" He bounded through the computer screen and found himself flying through a passageway that was like the inside of an electrical cable, with the walls lined with many vibrantly coloured wires.

Dan landed softly on the grassy verge of the hill. The breeze blew through his clothes. He had gotten used to the wardrobe change since he discovered the digital world for himself.

"Dan, Dan!" his little digital partner squealed, struggling to climb the hill quickly. "I've been waiting for you, Dan. I waited, just like I promised."

Dan may have only known this enthusiastic little creature just a month now, but it felt like much more. When Dan first switched on his laptop, the Digivice was thrown out at him. It wasn't the first thing he expected to happen, so he couldn't resist the opportunity to investigate. Dan plugged it into the weird looking extra USB port. That started the first trip to the Digital World and the first time he met DemiVeemon. The little guy followed him everywhere he went in the Digital World, claiming to be his partner.

"Cool, DemiVeemon," Dan murmured, crouching down and then falling backwards, seeing the long and tall grass flatten around him. The spikey haired boy watched the clouds drift above him and wondered whether anyone knew about this digital universe he was in. Ever since he found out about the Digital World, Dan made it his mission to hide it from his parents, and his friends. He originally considered whether or not it would be good for other people to come to this place. Being the only one there made him think that this place could just be for him.

Dan didn't have a care in the world. The sun was beating down on him, occasionally blocked by a flying Digimon, it was cold back home which encouraged Dan to make the most of it. He pulled his shirt off over his head before lying back down on the grass again. At first, the grass itched the bare skin on his back.

"Dan? What's he doing here?" DemiVeemon asked, standing on top of Dan's bent knees.

Dan sat up instantly. "Where?"

"Just there Dan." DemiVeemon pointed at the base of the hill at a figure standing beside a Mammothmon, stroking it.

Dan crouched down amongst the tall grass and watched him- no, her. It was a girl, he could tell from the blue skirt she was wearing. He had to know why or how she got here, but he had to know.

She started to climb the hill and that's when Dan froze, shuffling away from her pathway. Fortunately, the wind was able to mask his movement. His mouth dropped open when he saw the little Digimon that was following her. He had never seen it before, a pure white cat with a black heart shaped nose. The little cat's ears twitched and Dan's heart began to race. He thought he was done for.

"Chatamomon!" the girl called out to her digimon. Dan wished he could see her face, but the grass blocked his sight. He grabbed his balled up shirt, and slipped it on over his dark spiked thatch of hair.

"Come on, DemiVeemon," Dan demanded, creeping up the hill after the girl.

The girl was now running up the hill towards the digital gate. Dan had no idea that other people knew about it. She was the first person who he had seen in the Digital World. All Dan could think about was whether this girl was a friend- or foe?

"Who was that?" DemiVeemon asked innocently.

"I don't know, but maybe she'll be back."

In another region of the digital world, was a dark room with a large round table s surrounded by huge chairs.

A high pitched cackle filled it.

"Now. Now that I have destroyed the life force that was protecting this wasteland." The figure turned to face the other, occupied chairs. "In the beginning, I thought you were the strongest Digimon."

The Digimon she was speaking to grimaced and growled, hoping that she would change her demeaning attitude, but she carried on,

"You were the Digimon that were apparently meant be able to destroy the digidestined yet you have failed me at every moment. Devimon, you lost to a child, and the youngest child at that."

Devimon bit his tongue to stop him from interrupting the almost superior being.

The woman turned to the next chair around. Myotismon. "Myotismon, even with your stronger forms of VenomMyotismon and MaloMyotismon behind you, you failed to defeat the children. You were defeated by children. I have resurrected you all to give you one last try."

The woman stood up from her chair and walked around the table, her hand running along the heads of each chair. She lowered herself down so that she was in between two never before seen Digimon, until now.

"Do not fail me. I do not want to have to come and use my own power to defeat them. That is your job. Fail me and you will be deleted permanently," the female Digimon cackled before she slammed her fist down on the table. The other Digimon barely jumped and turned when they heard footsteps behind them as a small shadow appeared behind the cackling woman.

"Ah, you are all here," the small shadow said, his voice full of dark thoughts. "The digital gates have opened. Now we must strike and defeat them! Now, now, let's not forget that there will be many Digimon trying to stop you. You will defeat them, you will defeat them! YOU WILL, I ORDER IT! The new generation of real digidestined children will fall!" the small child shouted.

"Then we will do your bidding, but first, let me prove myself to be worthy," another Digimon spat.

"Oh DemiDevimon, you are going to be my spy. You, my friend, are going to destroy her spirit. Do that, and I can give you what you dream."

A tiny blue disc, a portal appeared in front of DemiDevimon.

"What are you waiting for, DemiDevimon?" Before DemiDevimon could answer, he was given a forceful shove straight into the portal.

"I am counting on you, DemiDevimon, do not fail me." The boy's words echoed in the Digimon's ear as DemiDevimon spiralled through the portal towards the world he had heard so much about.

**Thoughts from AspiringWriterGirl = I think I'm much more confident about this story than I was before, it's also one of the few stories I write in the 3****rd**** person (normally I prefer to write in the 1****st**** person, but I wanted to challenge myself) I really hope you like this chapter, but don't close this window, let me know what you think**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except M.J, her brother and various digimon

A/N: And on with chapter 2!

Show Expert 1 – Sorry, but you're going to be a little disappointed, Kari's not Dan's Mum :S

The Keeper of Worlds – I'm glad you think so

PokeRus – Hi, thank you, I have no idea where it's going, hopefully you'll like it!

Blonde-Eko – Yeah, there's Dan and Anika, but hopefully I'll begin to flesh out M.J as time goes on, thank you!

Nickpotter – I am! Here's the second chapter

Zero Slash One – It's a story, not everything has to fit together exactly, right? I need to leave some mystery! And no – I meant Chatamomon, he's a new Digimon – an in training Digimon rather than a champion. But I'm glad you enjoyed reading it

Digi-fanCapp – I'm so pleased you liked it

**Chapter 02**

_How dare that child doubt me, I can break the children's spirits! Once I find them that is… _DemiDevimon thought as he tumbled through the portal and fell out into the Human World – at least that's where the Digimon thought he was by the fact he smacked right into the wooden roof of an old and rickety garden shed that was tucked away in the corner.

"Trust that kid to send me rather than those who failed him!" he spat, flapping his wings to clear some of the dust that had accumulated on his dark skin.

When the dust settled, he realised that he was in amongst the bushes of a pristinely kept garden. Through a gap in the bush, the little Digimon could see some footballs and bikes littering the freshly mown lawn

A tiny gasp alerted him of someone's presence.

Slowly but cautiously, DemiDevimon rotated on the spot towards the sound of the gasp. He saw a girl staring at him from behind an overgrown bush.

She had eyes the colour of the sea, and her hair was nearly a golden colour tied into two bunchies by the neatest little dark ribbons.

DemiDevimon didn't know what to think – was he busted? Was this girl going to go screaming to her mother? Or was she going to take him in? All he did know is that if anyone was going to be the boss – it was DemiDevimon. He was going to use her to find the Digidestined children.

"You spoke?" she whispered with a smile beginning to creep across her face.

With a roll of his eyes, DemiDevimon strolled towards her. "You know kid, I need someone to show me this world… Are you up for it?" _This kid could be useful – I'll teach that little boy to send me to do his dirty work. _

"Sure – my name's Hana, what's yours?" the girl asked, tilting her head a little.

"DemiDevimon's the name… Tell me, have you ever seen any other creatures? Creatures that are like me?"

_This girl could have been a Digidestined kid – she could have a Digimon herself._

Hana wrinkled her nose. "I don't know. I mean, I don't think so. Are you hungry? Do you even need food?"

Before DemiDevimon could answer, someone else called out for Hana, a voice that sounded older, a little more mature.

"Hana – it's time for dinner now. Dad's home at last!"

"Coming Mum!" Hana called out, turning to face the house. "Oh, that was my mum. Hey, you should come inside and meet her. I'm sure she would love to meet you, and my little brother Yuri would love a pet too."

"A pet?! You think I'm some kind of pet?" DemiDevimon hissed aggressively, beads of saliva flew out from his mouth and littered the grass.

"Well no, it's just-" Hana bit her lip in fear of the reaction that DemiDevimon had given her. "Sorry, I'll open my window and you can stay in my room until it's safe."

Hana ran back into the house; DemiDevimon waited for a while. He looked at the house and was utterly disgusted by it. Humans living cooped up in a home that only left to go to work or school. The flower baskets that hung up on the wall may have been brightly coloured, but they were just trying to give the impression that the occupants looked after them. The fact that the label was poking out showed that these baskets were frequently replaced.

Movement of an upstairs window caused a smirk to creep across his face. Flapping his wings, DemiDevimon lifted himself off the ground and flew into the room Hana had given him access to.

There was a bed along one wall with a wardrobe at the foot of it, and a desk up against the wall opposite it. Everything appeared neat and tidy – apart from the fact that there was a small holdall that was perched on the bed with clothes folded neatly inside.

"Hmmm…" DemiDevimon mumbled to himself as he considered creating some trouble.

The creaking of stairs alerted the Digimon to fly away and hide amongst a series of children's Barbie sets. The car, the jet-skis, the boxes of clothes and series of different Barbie dolls.

A woman with medium length ginger hair walked into the little girl's room. She put some additional things into the holdall, including a letter, a chocolate bar and a small necklace with a pendant. Then, before she left, the woman zipped it shut and pulled a rucksack out the wardrobe and put it on the bed.

_Interesting – I wonder where this girl is going. I do hope that she doesn't take long – she seems to think she can help._

DemiDevimon had started to grow irritated from all the waiting he had been doing.

"I'm so sorry for making you wait Demi- erm, DemiDevimon, right?" Hana started to panic uncontrollably, bursting into the room in a hurry.

"Yeah, and don't you forget it!" he snapped, shaking his wings for effect. No one had ever stuttered over his name and he didn't want it to be made a habit of it.

Hana flinched slightly, like her parents had just told her off.

"So what's with the bags, girlie?" DemiDevimon jerked his foot at the zipped up bag on the bed.

"I've got summer camp. Me, my brother and some other kids go there every year. It's like tradition. My parents did it when they were younger and they want me and Yuri to have as much fun as they did. You should come with us!"

Hana's face lit up at the thought of her new friend joining her at summer camp. Personally, she wasn't too keen on the activities at camp. Hana would much rather spend time with her two best friends, Riki and Kai. They were supportive of her, and they embraced her imaginative nature – much unlike some other people she knew.

DemiDevimon screwed up his face as he glided down to the bed. "I don't know girlie. I don't see what the point would be in going with you-"

"But you would be able to keep me company. It would be fun – oh please, say you'll come with me, please?" Hana dropped to her knees, interlocking her hands like she was practically begging DemiDevimon to come along to camp with her and Yuri.

"Maybe I will, if you promise to help me out in the future, m'kay?"

"Oh, of course I will." Hana nodded her head frantically. "Thank you, thank you so much! I can't wait to introduce you to Riki and Kai – they're going to love you!"

Hana couldn't wait to introduce Riki and Kai to DemiDevimon. She wanted to put off everything else to show the Digimon to them – unaware of his ulterior motives to use her.

"Hana? You ready?" Hana's father, Matt, asked, leaning on the open car door. "The bus will be leaving soon and I'm sure you want to get a seat near the front with Yuri."

"Sorry- I was day-dreaming… Yeah, I'd love to." Hana looked up at her dad with wide eyes. "And I know."

"Know what, Hana?"

"That you're thankful for how I am with Yuri."

Matt couldn't resist but ruffle his daughter's hair – only she was having none of it and flattened it out instantly, because she is one of those people who liked everything to be neat and tidy.

"Come on Hana!" her mum called out, prompting her to make a move.

Hana slipped her arms through the straps of her rucksack and rushed over to the steps of the bus, disappearing out of her mum's sight.

"She'll be okay, Sora," Matt said, squeezing her hand gently.

Sora avoided making eye contact and waved goodbye to her two children. "I know, but I worry. It's just, just… If something were to happen to Yuri, or Hana… What if they get pulled into the Digital World?"

"What makes you think about that? We haven't seen a DigiPort open in decades. I know that our generation of Digidestined have grown apart, but I am thankful that our two have their two cousins – Ronin and Kaito will look after Hana and Yuri. And that's if anything will happen to them."

Matt hated to see Sora worry so much, but it only reminded him of how she was given the crest of love. He had seen her worry so many times and had gotten used to it. After eleven years of marriage, he knew exactly how to diffuse the situation.

"Yeah, you're right. Your brother and Kari always seemed to know exactly how to handle children. It's just a shame that they're going through a rough patch right now."

"Don't worry about them, Sora. They will get through it, T.K wants to sort things out."

"Hmmm…" Sora mumbled, still a little uncertain. She couldn't explain it, but she felt like something was going to happen to Hana and Yuri.

It may have just been a feeling, but it was a strong feeling.

Ronin and Kaito Takaishi were ready to get to summer camp – they had been waiting since the early months of the year, six months before camp.

The eldest by two hours, Ronin, was excited to set up a baseball game in one of the fields at camp. Ronin was the athletic twin, but that didn't mean Kaito wasn't athletic.

For Kaito, if there was a choice between setting up his palmtop computer – or palm-sized PC – and connecting to the internet and playing a game of baseball, then it would be the computer!

"What are you going to do now that we are here?" Ronin asked his brother once the bus had come to a full stop. "I'm going to go and see if the new basketball court is finished with."

"Yeah, I'm going to try and set up some internet in the little shack at the top of the hill." Kaito stood up and grabbed his computer bag and rucksack from under his seat. "See you later."

"What about your other bag?" Ronin asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Hey, last time I sorted them out and picked the best bunks, ignoring Dan Motomiya's obnoxious attitude and constant snoring. And I'll ignore whatever it was in that plastic bottle when he claimed he didn't want to go to the bathroom."

"Fine," Ronin groaned, rolling his eyes.

Kaito carried his computer bag up the hill and towards the creaking shack which overlooked a fairly pretty view. For a moment, Kaito stopped and stared at the surroundings just to take it all in. Coming from the city where he was born and raised, this was one of the few times that Kaito was able to see the countryside and the luscious greenery.

He unlocked the door with a key he had 'borrowed' a few years ago when he desperately wanted somewhere private to set up an internet connection and set up a few things.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realise that someone would be in here. I can go."

Kaito's mouth dropped as he saw a girl who looked slightly older than him sitting in the spare wicker woven chair. She had loosely curled shoulder length brown hair and freckles across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose.

"No, no. It's okay. I'm only going to start up my internet connection and check a few things out," Kaito replied with a warm smile.

Kaito got back to looking at what interested him. The weather. He had always wanted to be a meteorologist. From what he had found, there had been a few spikes in the temperature, and a gentle earthquake that had hit the east coast of Japan.

"Hmm, that's weird," Kaito whispered quietly.

"What's that?" the girl asked. "I'm M.J by the way."

"Kaito…" he paused momentarily to gather his thoughts. "There have been strange spikes in geothermic and hydrometeorological activity, and now- now there is just nothing… Just a temperature spike and earthquake."

"I'm sure that there is a reasonable explanation…" M.J replied, trying not to think too much into it.

"Yeah… I guess…"

A slight tremor and a shake caused dust to drop down onto the two children from the rafters.

"What was that?" Kaito rushed to the window and peered through one quarter of it. "Oh my-"

Out of the window, Kaito could see a landslide heading straight towards the shack.

"No!" M.J yelled as he ran towards the door. "Kaito. I'm going to have to ask you to trust me!"

"I barely know you!" Kaito exclaimed.

"Give me your computer!" M.J demanded, fishing something out of her green gilet as Kaito put the palmtop on the table.

Kaito watched M.J put a peach rimmed device into the USB slot of the computer. He was unbelievably intrigued by what she was doing. Lines and lines of green digits and a series of 0's and 1's appeared across the screen.

M.J slammed down on the enter button.

Kaito gasped as he felt himself being lifted off the ground and being absorbed into the computer screen.

The next thing he knew, he was lying on a stone cold steel floor that reminded him of the science laboratories that you would see in the horror films. There was a pounding in his head, and when he looked up, he saw that there were multiple computer screens surrounding him. He jumped, startled by what he saw on each of the computer screens.

"What the-" His mouth dropped open, unable to believe what he was looking at. "What is going on?"

**Thoughts from AspiringWriterGirl = This is the second chapter – thanks to my beta, Aiko Isari, who has been really encouraging with her comments **** Hope you like it, let me know what you think!**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except M.J, her brother and various digimon

A/N: And on with chapter 2!

Digi-fanCatt – Hiya! I know, I'm totally bad for updating because I've got so many stories on the go, but I'm working my way through all of them now!

**Chapter 03**

Kaito had never seen anything like what he was seeing before. Only a moment ago, he was standing in a small cabin on the hillside with a landslide heading his way. Now, he was looking at all these computer screens in the room that were the only source of light in the lab room.

"Kaito…" M.J – the newcomer to camp mumbled, making him jump back away from her. "This is going to sound absolutely crazy, but you and me – we… We're special."

His eyebrows raised considerably. "You're joking, right?"

"No, no I'm not," M.J murmured quietly, feeling a little nervous. "I can prove it to you."

"Not a chance, there's no way I'm going to give you the satisfaction of leading me into this trick." Kaito glanced over the girl's shoulder to see a huge metal door – a way out in his eyes. "You're totally pulling my leg!"

"Chatamomon," M.J whispered over her shoulder.

At first, Kaito thought she was just weird or something, because there was no one else in the room with them. He began to shuffle away from her awkwardly. Kaito felt cold in the room and his eyes began to search for a way out so that he could return home.

"What is it, M.J?" a timid voice replied. "Is it the bad guys?"

"Not quite… I think we need to come clean to Kaito. He doesn't believe anything I'm saying."

Out from the hood of M.J's gilet hopped a small white kitten that had a little pink heart shaped nose. He bounded off her shoulder and sat in front of Kaito.

"Don't say anything, but my name is Chatamomon. Allow me to explain," the kitten interrupted Kaito before he could string a sentence together. "This here is the Digital World, and I am what is called a Digimon. The Digimon partner to M.J and we need your help. It may seem like a shock to the system, but it is the truth." The little cat sat in front of Kaito and dipped his head.

Kaito dropped to his knees, in a point that was a cross between amazement and disbelief. "Let me get this straight. This place isn't a hallucination?"

Chatamomon looked up and to him. "M.J and Gennai have been working together to help save the Digital World. You see, years and years ago, a group of children called the Digidestined, each one teamed with their own Digimon partner, saved this world – the Digital World. A man named Oikawa used an immense power to cleanse the Digital World, but something went wrong. A dark force has risen in the Digital World now and Oikawa's lifeforce is fading quicker than we thought. It's only a matter of time before this world, my home, is destroyed."

"What does this have to do with me?" Any doubt that Kaito had had now vanished after a detailed explanation from Chatamomon.

"Gennai believes there is something special about you." Chatamomon nodded before bouncing back up onto M.J's shoulder.

"So what happens now?" Kaito asked, looking back at the computer screens.

Each one was focused on an egg and a small pocket sized device. The eggs also had an individual pattern on them, coloured stars, hearts, spirals and circles which made Kaito believe that each on was a different creature – a different Digimon perhaps. They were being incubated, these eight eggs.

"We're waiting for them to hatch," M.J said, walking towards the computer screen. "I think that these belong to the new generation of Digidestined children. Our generation."

"You said our generation – is that me and you?" Kaito couldn't help but beam at M.J. "Who are the others? If we find out who they are, then we can defeat the evil together"

"Possibly…"

"But we need the other digi- Digidestined to help. As a team, we'll be stronger. We'll be stronger if you work together." Having worked on multiple sports teams in his life, Kaito had found himself learning an important life lesson – that you're strong when you work together as a team. "Who are the others?"

"That's the thing – I've no idea. It would be down to luck really. I'm sure we'll work it out soon enough." M.J went towards the door. "Come on, we've got some eggs to hatch…"

Kaito followed her out of the lab and onto a metal walkway that looked down onto the egg incubators. There was also some robotic androids that were standing on guard at the doors out of the incubation room. M.J walked down a spiralling metal stairway that clinked and clanged with each step.

"Guardromon – anything new to report on?" M.J asked, walking towards one of the incubators.

"Miss M.J, you've come at the perfect time. This egg seems to have cracked. Perhaps you would like to hold it?" one Guardromon said, lifting the glass off one of the eggs.

There was a small hairline fracture across the top of the egg. It was still a deep crack, one that could split the egg at any moment.

"I'd love to," M.J replied, lifting the digi-egg off the little metal pedestal that it was perched on. "Hello little digi-egg. It's time for you to come out and play."

Even as Kaito watched M.J and the egg in her arms, he saw the screen on the small device light up. Without even thinking, Kaito picked up the device and a small light emanated from the screen. In the reflection of the screen, he saw his face – his eyes squinting at the screen.

"What are you doing? Put that down!" demanded the Guardromon, raising his hand up to prepare its Grenade Destroyer attack.

As soon as she saw what Guardromon was going, M.J leapt forwards with one hand cradled around the egg. "No!" she exclaimed, putting her other hand on Guardromon's raised limb. "He's our friend, Guardromon."

"Oh, right. Well… You can never be too sure." Guardromon lowered his arm slowly before turning away to investigate another incubator.

The egg began to twitch, shaking a little. It almost jumped out of the girl's arms and fell through the air. Kaito dived down onto the floor, catching the digi-egg just before it smashed on the silver metal floor.

"Kaito – you're a life saver, literally!" M.J squealed, gasping at the sound of another crack from the egg. "It's hatching!" She was unable to contain her excitement as the top half of the egg.

"Snow!" A tiny pair of black eyes stared back at Kaito with a twinkle in the centre of them. "SnowBotamon!"

"H- hey there, little guy," Kaito stuttered, trying to stay cheerful in what could seem a terrifying situation.

M.J stifled a giggle. "I wouldn't be so sure about the term guy, Kaito. That there is a little girl SnowBotamon…"

"Oh, right," sighed Kaito, jumping a little when the little white creature called a Digimon leapt out and began to rub its head against Kaito's cheek. "She's definitely friendly!"

"That's probably because she's your Digimon partner."

Kaito was slightly shell-shocked at the idea that he was one of these Digidestined, the idea itself seemed terrifying. The creature called SnowBotamon in his arms was his very own Digimon partner.

But there wasn't enough time to bask in the glory as a loud explosion echoed from outside causing the building to tremor considerably.

"They know!" M.J shouted, grabbing Chatamomon and tucking him under her arm. "We have to get out of here – Kaito, grab the eggs."

There were seven eggs left in their glass cases, and whilst Guardromon grabbed two of them, it was going to be difficult for Kaito and M.J to get the remaining five. Without another moment to think about their next action, the roof collapsed and Guardromon shot up through the new hole.

"Guardromon!?" M.J screamed, knowing all too well that the mechanical Digimon could have taken more of the seven eggs. "Kaito, hurry!" M.J grabbed a small satchel that was on a work bench nearby which had enough room for one digi-egg to go in and held another digi-egg in her arms.

"M.J!" Kaito screamed as a slab of roof was about to come crashing down onto her.

"No!" M.J screeched, throwing the satchel towards Kaito who just about caught it in his hands.

A bright pink light burst out of M.J's Digivice, blinding Kaito a little as he crawled over to one of the digi-eggs. He heard some caterwaul of a battle cry. As he peered over the table he was crouched behind, he saw a dark grey cat on its two hind legs with a scarf around its neck and a killer set of claws standing protectively in front of M.J with shattered rock all around them.

"Pawmon!" M.J hugged her partner, only before he dragged her over to the eggs.

They grabbed what they could and were heading for the door when another blast shot a hole through the wall.

The next sound that greeted the two teens' ears was the sound of metal jaws clamping shut.

"What is that?" Kaito asked, looking up to see a mechanical looking Digimon crawling down the remains of the intact wall.

"Not good, come on Kaito!" M.J squealed, trying to keep a hold of the digi-eggs. "Pawmon, what is that?"

"That is trouble- M.J, get out of here. I'll distract that Digimon."

"Are you sure?" M.J stared at her partner and watched him nodded before turning towards the ghastly looking robotic Digimon.

As the young girl looked for an exit, she could feel her heartrate increasing and her breathing growing deeper. Whilst her partner was locked in combat with the metallic Digimon, she couldn't see herself running away with Pawmon in danger. A hand grabbed her arm, startling M.J.

"You came!" she exclaimed looking at a boy who would only have been a few years older than her. "Gennai!"

"As if I would leave you behind," he replied winking before ushering her to the door, but he was distracted by Kaito. "You found another… You actually found another Digidestined child. You're incredible."

"Just doing my bit," she replied calmly.

Over his shoulder, M.J could see Kaito fumbling with the remaining three of digi-eggs before he dropped them. A split moment of tense silence when they hit the ground, still staying intact. Pawmon turned to see what was taking the children so long to evacuate, and when he saw Gennai, he turned back to fight the Digimon. But it had moved. It was closing in on Kaito.

"Diamond dust!" SnowBotamon puffed up her tiny cheeks from Kaito's shoulder, but the Digimon was too strong.

"Cannonball!" Its mouth opened as it accumulated a huge fiery mass within it.

"Kaito!" M.J screamed, going to help him, but she was being held back by Gennai.

"M.J, you have to get out of here. I'll protect Kaito, but you need to get those eggs to safety. This laboratory could collapse any moment now. Go!" Gennai turned and jumped down the stairs towards Kaito who was frozen in the enemy Digimon's line of fire.

"Pummel punch!" Pawmon struck the Digimon with its closed and gloved fist.

Gennai bundled the Takaishi twin out of the way of the cannonball, but the flap of M.J's bag twitched as Gennai dragged Kaito to safety.

"No! The egg!" Kaito screamed, clutching at the canvas material of the bag.

"There's no time," Gennai replied hastily, pushing Kaito up the metal staircase towards M.J.

"Pawmon, come on!" she squealed with panic in her voice as her Digimon partner was thrown against a metal cabinet. "Pawmon!"

"M.J, come on," Gennai said, pulling the girl out of the now dilapidated building. "Pawmon will come out in a minute – I'm sure of it."

The three teens forced their way out of the building as sparks were flying and cables were dropping. As they staggered out, they nearly fell right off the edge of a sharp drop. The sea below lapping up at the cliff.

"Paw-mon!" M.J screamed, choking a little. "Come on…" she added, whimpering a little at the thought of being without her Digimon partner.

There was a large billowing cloud of smoke looming over the building as the inside was being scorched and burnt to nothing. A loud crack echoed as the buildings foundations collapsed as if they had just been pulled out from underneath.

"No!"

Kaito looked on as the girl ripped herself from this 'Gennai' character's and tore into the rubble of the laboratory that he had been standing in not moments before.

_There's no way that Pawmon survived a building falling on him…_ Kaito thought to himself – it was all he could think about as he walked towards the dilapidated building. He was devastated, and the only thing that was stopping him from screaming out was the fact that SnowBotamon nudged his neck a few times.

As M.J climbed into the devastation that had been left behind, she was eager to find her partner because that was all she could think about.

_Where are you Pawmon, buddy?_

Nothing else was on her mind. She lifted small cement pieces that were about the size of her hand and tossed them aside, hoping to find him.

"M.J…"

She heard a faint mumble.

"Pawmon – where are you?"

Back at the campsite, the children had been gathered to do a headcount after the minor landslide. Ronin looked around at the crowd of girls and boys, he could see his little cousins Hana and Yuri. He could see so many of his family friends, but there was no sign of his twin.

"Kaito, Kaito Takashi?" the camp leader called out, looking up and down from his notebook.

Silence. Utter silence.

**Thoughts from AspiringWriterGirl = I know, I know- it's been a while since I've written a chapter, but I couldn't help but have to scale the large obstacle that is the writer's block! I just didn't have much inspiration, but I'd love to hear what you rhink of the story so far – What did you think of the Gennai twist? If you understand it that is! (If not, review, let me know and I'll be sure to explain in the next chapter- now I'm worried there's nothing to explain!)**


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